No 47 / June 2016 / /

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1 Newsletter of the Fédération des coopératives d habitation intermunicipale du Montréal métropolitain A word from the president WORTHY OF THE MEMBERS TRUST AND FAITHFUL TO THE DEMOCRATIC WISHES OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY page 2 No 47 / June 2016 / info@fechimm.coop / AGM NINE RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY THE MEMBERS SUMMARY 2016 AGM The 4 outgoing directors were re-elected CHF-Canada Méloée Prud homme elected on the Board of Directors Financial management The federal government will help housing co-operatives to pay their mortgage The expansion of the Federation s territory, training on the history of co-operatives and co-operative values, priorities of the political action committee, emphyteutic leases (long-term leases), violence against women, welcoming the refugees, gentrification and real estate speculation, as well as the future of the Hôtel-Dieu Hospital were the subject of the resolutions adopted at FECHIMM s annual meeting. CHANGES IN FECHIMM S RECRUITING TERRITORY The General Assembly resolved to authorize the change in FECHIMM s recruiting territory in its articles of incorporation by extending it to the limits of the Montreal Metropolitan Community excluding the current Montérégie (south shore) area. The request for modification will be submitted to the Direction de l entrepreneuriat collectif. It will provide adding Until September 2 Monday to Thursday: 8:30 to 12:00 and 1:00 to 5:00 Friday: 9:00 to 12:00 the MRC des Moulins and De L'Assomption, which include the cities of Terrebonne, Mascouche, Repentigny, and L'Assomption, to FECHIMM s territory. Housing co-operatives in these two regional county municipalities (MRC) in the Lanaudière region are currently located in an unfederated territory. Continued on page 3 Our summer schedule FQHC Preservation of the Fund and creation of a joint management structure with SHQ Universal accessibility A call to co-operative members to participate in focus groups 5 6 It is never too early to save on your property insurance!

2 A word from the president WORTHY OF THE MEMBERS TRUST AND FAITHFUL TO THE DEMOCRATIC WISHES OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FECHIMM express Newsletter from the Fédération des coopératives d habitation intermunicipale du Montréal métropolitain EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Marcel Pedneault EDITION AN COMPUTER GRAPHICS Richard Audet QUESTIONS & COMMENTS: diffusion@fechimm.coop , ext. 238 CIRCULATION: 600 copies The nexsletter of the Fédération des coopératives d habitation intermunicipale du Montréal métropolitain is published 6 times a year. An electronic version is distributed to subscribers to the mailing list. FECHIMM express is also available for download on fechimm.coop. FECHIMM express / 2 Dear cooperators, First of all, I wish to thank you for the confidence you have shown me and all the outgoing Board members at the last AGM by letting us represent you again in the management of our Federation. With this renewed confidence comes great responsibility. We have to live up to the values and principles of our organization and remain faithful as much as possible, to the wishes expressed by the co-operatives through the General Assembly. I assure you that this is what the Federation s Board members and management will be working on in the coming months. We will get back to you very soon on the commitments made at the general meeting and how FECHIMM intends to fulfill them. Personally, as it will be my last term as administrator of the Federation, as I said at the time of my re-election, I will bring special attention to the need to convince as many members as possible to get involved in the Federation and to better train and prepare those who choose to actively get involved with us. In a similar vein, and this is the only negative point I would bring to the evaluation of our general meeting, although relatively high in terms of number of individuals, the participation stagnates in terms of the number of co-operatives represented. Several different approaches have been tested in recent years in order to increase the members participation at the meetings. The discussions on this subject are ongoing. I also want to thank the co-operatives representatives for the high quality of their interventions during the discussions and debates at the meeting. Again, in almost all cases, they demonstrated that it is possible to show both passion and conviction while remaining respectful and courteous in their remarks. Once again, I wish to thank the members for the excellent welcome given to Marcel Pedneault, our new Executive Director. I must stress again, as I do every year, and it is confirmed again every time, the excellent work done by the whole team at FE- CHIMM under the supervision of the Executive Director. The testimony of representatives from the Coopérative Sainte-Anne, almost destroyed following a landslide, is particularly worth highlighting. This has particularly affected us because of what it reveals about the challenges our members may face, but also by showing the importance of the Federation and what it can do for its members. The hard work of nearly two weeks of FECHIMM s crisis center, composed of various department heads, has been instrumental in the fact that all members of the co-operative were temporarily relocated and that this matter gained the necessary attention of policy makers and stakeholders in the issue. Personally, I made a commitment to the members of the Sainte-Anne Co-operative: they will receive all the help that the Federation can offer them as long as necessary, because it is also the role that a federation at the service of its members should play. In solidarity, Luc Brisebois President

3 2016 AGM NINE RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY THE MEMBERS TRAINING AND DEVELOPING EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL ON THE HISTORY OF HOUSING CO-OPERATIVES AND THE CO-OPERATIVE VALUES AND PRINCIPLES One of the first resolutions adopted gives FECHIMM the mandate to design and propose in its regular training schedule a workshop on the history of housing co-operatives in Quebec and the co-operative values and principles that are at its foundation. The resolution also asks that FECHIMM produce learning tools in order to promote history and co-operative values and principles in co-operatives. THE PRIORITIES OF FECHIMM S POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE It was decided that the issues of the property taxes and the Fonds québécois d'habitation communautaire would be the priorities of FECHIMM s political action committee for ACCESS TO SOCIAL HOUSING FOR REFUGEE POPULATIONS A resolution was also adopted requesting FECHIMM to encourage its members to make room for refugee populations by providing them with the resources allowing them to get in touch with these populations. THE STATE OF THE SITUATION: GENTRIFICATION AND SPECULATION The members adopted a resolution asking FECHIMM to draw up a status report on the phenomena of gentrification, real estate speculation, and increases in property taxes in Montreal, which are all obstacles to the development of social housing. The approach is designed to help member co-operatives better address these phenomena. THE FUTURE OF THE HÔTEL-DIEU HOSPITAL EMPHYTEUTIC LEASES The General Assembly adopted a resolution asking FECHIMM to take the necessary political action (including pressure tactics) so that the emphyteutic leases between the City of Montreal and housing co-operativesbe transferred to them for a symbolic fee. ACTION PLAN TO PREVENT AND ELIMINATE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN The general assembly resolved to set up a Women s committee. It also gave the Federation the mandate to develop an action plan focused on awareness, information and training for housing co-operatives, and professionals working with them in order to prevent and eliminate violence against women who live there. Designing tools to support co-operatives and their members in their efforts to prevent and eliminate violence against women who live there and the establishment of mechanisms to support women experiencing violence in housing co-operatives are also provided for in the resolution. DECLARATION OF SUPPORT FOR A SOLIDARITY CITY Based on the need to support migrants fleeing war, persecution, and political or religious violence and based on the contribution of housing co-operatives to maintain human dignity, the Assembly adopted a proposal asking FECHIMM to sign the Declaration of support for a solidarity city. The resolution also states that FECHIMM make its gesture public and encourage its members to sign this declaration. The assembly approved a proposal giving FECHIMM the mandate to become a member of the advisory committee on the project concerning the future of the Hôtel-Dieu Hospital. The project supported by fifty organizations, including the Milton Park Community Coalition, consists of a large innovative project that includes housing units meeting the needs of various clienteles, health services, green community spaces, small shops and artists workshops. Your co-op wants to welcome refugees? If you have a housing unit to rent and want to offer it to refugees, get in touch with the GRT ROMEL at Via its website the Regroupement du Montréal ethnique pour le logement (The Ethnic Montreal Coalition for Housing) receives offers of available units to rent or to offer and relays the information to refugees. For its part, the website of the Table de concertation des organismes au service des personnes réfugiées et immigrantes (TCRI) at tcri.qc.ca will give you access to the list of organizations that help newcomers across the province. You can also find more information on how to help refugee populations by visiting the Immigration and Citizenship website at You want to sign the Solidarity City declaration? Go to or contact the Solidarity Across Borders at or by at solidaritesansfrontieres@gmail.com. FECHIMM express / 3

4 2016 AGM THE 4 OUTGOING DIRECTORS WERE RE-ELECTED The composition of FECHIMM s Board of Directors remains unchanged at the end of its annual meeting held on May 6 and 7. Lyse Cloutier (Sainte-Cécile Co-operative) and Richard Lemay (An 2000 Co-operative) were elected by acclamation for the two available positions that were reserved for members who are on the Board of directors of their co-operative. Luc Brisebois (Samuel 1e Co-operative) and Line Beauséjour (Mon toit Co-operative) were elected in the second round of elections open to all candidates whether they sit on the Board of their co-operative or not. They were preferred to Anthony Szynkarski (Anderson Co-operative). During the Board meeting following the general meeting, the outgoing officers were reappointed. The Executive Committee is composed of Luc Brisebois (president), Méloée Prud'homme (vice-president), Richard Lemay (secretary) and Mario Tardif (treasurer). CHF CANADA AGM MÉLOÉE PRUD HOMME ELECTED ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FECHIMM welcomes the election of its Vice President, Méloée Prud'homme, to an administrator position at CHF Canada (Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada), during its AGM held in Hamilton from June 8th to June 11th. Her election to an at-large position on the Board of Directors gives co-operatives in the Montreal area a voice in the bodies of CHF Canada. Maintaining the rent-geared-to-income subsidy for low-income households, defending the right to housing and the creation of favorable conditions for the full participation of women in community life in housing co-operatives are among the priorities Méloée Prud'homme intends to bring to CHF Canada. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL HELP HOUSING CO-OPERATIVES TO PAY THEIR MORTGAGE Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Social Development and Minister responsible for CMHC, announced Saturday, June 4, that the federal government will provide $150 million over four years for social housing providers, including housing cooperatives, which contracted long term non-renewable mortgages with CMHC. The government s investment will enable them to repay the high interest rate mortgages they have taken out, without penalty. The Minister, who made the announcement during a speech to the delegates at the AGM of the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada (CHF Canada) in Hamilton, said the funding would allow co-operatives to reduce their expenses, provide the opportunity to finance repairs with private capital, and offer flexibility to transition to more self-sustaining operating models. Mortgage loans affected by this announcement were signed between 1940 and 1980 and had interest rates up to 13%. Low-income members in housing co-operatives who avail themselves of this measure will continue to temporarily receive rent supplements. This aid, according to CMHC, will channel funds to people whose needs are the most urgent and will give co-operatives time to strengthen their financial position through better access to private funding. CMHC will soon contact the co-operatives concerned by this announcement to provide additional details on the allocation process, the requirements with regards to the application procedure, and will initiate a call out for applications. However, we already know that the authorization to lift the prepayment penalty will first be given to co-operatives with the best performing results. For more information, see the press release issued by CMHC. FECHIMM express / 4

5 FQCH PRESERVATION OF THE FUND AND CREATION OF A JOINT MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE WITH SHQ Youth services co-operative THIS SUMMER, ENCOURAGE THE NEXT CO-OPERATIVE GENERATION! Your co-operative or some of your members need help to do odd landscaping jobs, house cleaning or for holding an event, babysitting services, painting? Why not use the services of a Youth services Co-operative (CJS)? The Youth Services Co-operatives (SJC), work with twelve to fifteen girls and boys of high school age. Together, and with the support of their community, they take up the challenge to start a co-operative in order to provide themselves with jobs in their community. This summer, a CJS in your neighborhood may contact you to offer its services. Take part in the development of the co-operative by giving these young people the opportunity to give you a hand. Following an amendment to Bill 83 adopted on June 10 by the National Assembly, a new governance structure was established to oversee the Fonds québécois d habitation communautaire (Quebec Community Housing Fund). From now on, the contributors to the Fund, including the co-operative housing network, will participate, together with SHQ, in managing approximately $ 200 million paid to the FQHC since its establishment in Aside from creating this joint management committee who will decide how the money is to be spent, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Land Occupancy, Martin Coiteux, assured that buildings health appraisals will be carried out in co-operatives and NPO s that have contributed to the Fund in order to assess the financing needed for the renovations to the existing community housing stock. The Minister also announced the creation of a permanent advisory committee involving all the partners in the social and community housing sector. In its brief submitted this spring to the Land Use Planning Commission as part of the consultation on Bill 83, FECHIMM had objected to SHQ appropriating the FQHC, as originally planned. The Federation also deplored the fact that co-operatives experiencing difficulties due to underfunding from the AccèsLogis and LAQ programs would be forced to contribute to the Fund in spite of their situation. The Federation demanded and still demands to be represented in the Fund's decision-making bodies, considering that it represents nearly half of the province s co-operative housing. For more information and to find the closest CJS near you: Women's participation in the community life of housing co-ops FECHIMM WILL SUBMIT A PROJECT TO THE FEDERAL MINISTER OF STATUS OF WOMEN In order to create conditions conducive to women fully participating in the community life of housing co-operatives, FECHIMM proposes to identify and remove the systemic barriers they face at various levels. To achieve this goal, the Federation will submit a proposal to the Federal Minister of Status of Women. This project, to be spread over a 36 month period, is to develop and implement gendered development, management and governance standards for housing co-operatives where women predominate. Through this approach, FECHIMM intends to mobilize all actors involved in accessing housing co-operatives in order to help them change their organizational practices to better meet the needs of women based on their diversity (age, socio-economic status, education, country of origin, etc.). By bringing together the optimal conditions for women's participation, the project aims to increase their presence in the institutions and their access to more senior decision-making levels. The project plans for a consultation process with the co-operatives taking into account the needs of the organizations as well as those of the resident members. FECHIMM express / 5

6 Universal accessibility A CALL TO CO-OPERATIVE MEMBERS TO PARTICIPATE IN FOCUS GROUPS THE SUB-COMMITTEE ON UNIVERSAL ACCESSIBILITY NEEDS YOU. Last year, FECHIMM published a resource Guide on universal accessibility. We recently initiated Phase II, which aims at integrating universal accessibility (UA) as much as possible in the co-operatives functioning. We plan to set up a focus group which will be meeting a few times in the coming weeks in order to: help in circulating the Guide in co-operatives in order to make them aware of the means to be put in place to facilitate the UA; make improvements to the Guide; collaborate on the design of a training workshop on the UA. The focus group is for anyone living in a co-operative. To register or to get more information, please get in touch with Louise Constantin by phone at ext. 223, or by at lconstantin@fechimm.coop. THE 2016 AGM PRIZE WINNERS The Coopérative Cercle carré won the prize attributed to co-operatives having paid their annual fee before January 8, The co-op received a $300 gift certificate from Bétonel. The Coopérative Ropery won the prize for co-operatives having completed and returned before May 6, 2016, the data collection form sent with the membership renewal notice. The co-op received an Insertech laptop worth $300. The Coopérative Trois Galeries won the prize for a co-operative attending FECHIMM s AGM two years in a row. The co-op received a $75 gift certificate applicable on the payment of their membership fee, on services or on any scheduled workshop. David Lessard from the Coopérative Voisins Voisines won the attendance prize awarded at FECHIMM s 2016 AGM. He won a subscription for a vegetable basket worth $325 from the Coopérative Les jardins de la résistance.